Occupant propelled roundabout



OCCUPANT PROPELLED ROUNDABOUT Filed. Jan, 5, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4

Fig.6 22 v 1 7 w a 11%; 60 u 5a F ,48 Melvin M. Wolberf j, v INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 14, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OCCUPANT PROPELLED ROUNDABOUT Melvin M. Wolbert, Rookport, Wash.

Application January 3, 1952, Serial No. 264,721

6. Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to roundabouts, and more particularly to roundabouts for children having operating means operable by one of the riders.

The primary object of this invention is to-provi'de an improved roundabout having novel drive means for rotating seats of the roundabout with respect to a stationary standard.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved roundabout having drive means" perable by one of the riders of the roundabout.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved roundabout having a novel drive means through which reciprocating movement is converted into rotary movement.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved roundabout having friction drive means which is maintained in an inoperative position by spring means.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved roundabout including seats rotatably mounted on a vertical standard, and drive means operably associated with one of said seats for fricticnally engaging a cylindrical surface d by said standard.

inese, together with various ancillary features i and objects of the invention, which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a

preferred embodiment of which is illustrated, by

way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of the roundabout, which is the subject of this invention, and showing the relation of the rotating seats with respect to. the supporting standard;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the roundabout of Figure 1 and as showing the manin which the supporting standard is secured to the ground;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line t-t of Figure 2 and as showing the manner in which an operating arm is secured to a board on which the seats are mounted;

Figure i is an enlarged top plan view of the drive means for rotating the board and its. associated seats with respect to thesuppo-rting. standards, the board being omitted, but its: position being indicated by dotted lines;

5 is an enlarged top planiview of the drive means and is similar to Figure 4, but. shows the drive. means in itsop-erating position and the board being in the process of rotation;

Figure 6- is. an enlarged partial transverse vertical sectionalview: taken substantially upon the plane indicatedby-thesection line 6--8 of Figure I and showing the manner in which the board is rotatably mounted on they upper end of the supporting standard, the board: being indicated by dottedlines; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken substantially uponthe plane indicated by the section line 1'! of Figure 6 and as showing the manner in which the drive means is retained in itsnorrnal inoperative position by a spring.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements-and portions throughout the specification and throughout the different views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the roundabout includes a supporting standard Hi which is mounted vertically with respect to the surface of the ground [2 and is provided with a ground engaging base M. The standard it is provided intermediate its ends with a plurality of pairsof' spaced ears [6 between which are pivotally mounted braces l8 which are adapted to engage the surface of the ground l2. The braceslh are pivotally connected to the ears it by pivot pins 20.

Rotatably carried by the upper end of the standard Hlis a board 22 which carries at its opposite endsseats 24 and- 25. While the drawings only illustrate asingl'e board, it is readily apparent that the rotating portion of the roundabout may include either a pair of boards at right angles-to each other and having a total of four seats, or a circular table having a plurality of seats mounted thereon. However, since the seating arrangement of the roundabout is not a mate rial part of this-invention, the various seating arrangements. have not been illustrated.

Referring now to Figure 6 in detail, it will be seen that. themeansi for mounting the board 22 for rotation with respect to the vertical standard Wis clearly illustrated. Carried by the upper end of the. vertical standard I0 is a tubular housing 28havin-g an enlarged lower end 36 which is telescopically received over the upper end of the vertical standard. it. The lower end 39 of the housing is secured. to the upper end of the standard 10 by a bolt 32 passing completely through both the lower end of the housing and the standard. Mounted within the lower end 3!] is a plate t l having a reduced upper portion 36 received within the main portion of the housing 23. The plate 36 overliesv and" engages the upper edge of the standard It". The reduced portion 35 of the plate 34 is-provided'w'ith'a centrally located cylindrical recess 38 therein in which is rotatably mounted a ball bearing 40 which projects slightly out of the recess.

Mounted within the housing 28 adjacent its upper end and extending transversely thereof is a bearing retaining plate 42. The bearing retaining plate 42 is welded to the housing 28 and is provided with a central opening 44. Carried by the bearing retaining plate 42 and engaging the inner surface of the housing 28 is a roller bearing assembly 46. A second roller bearing assembly 48 rests on the upper end of the plate 34 and engages the inner surface of the housing 28 adjacent its enlarged lower end portion 36. R- tatably mounted within the housing 28 is an elongated shaft 50 which is guidedly carried by the roller bearing assemblies 46 and 48. The lower end of the shaft 50 rests on the ball bearing 40 which provides a thrust bearing for the shaft.

Welded to the upper end of the shaft 50 is an elongated rectangular plate 52 having apertures 54 in the corners thereof. The board 22 is se cured to the plate 52 by a plurality of fasteners passing through the apertures 54. Due to the rotary mounting of the shaft 50 with respect to the vertical standard II], it will be seen that the board 22 is free to rotate with respect to the standard.

In order that the board 22 may be rotated by one of the riders of the roundabout, there is provided drive means for rotating same with respect to the standard III. The drive means includes a plurality of spokes 56 secured to the exterior of the housing 28 adjacent its upper end. The spokes 66 extend radially from the housing and are secured at their outer ends to a circular rim 58. Rigidly secured to and extending radially from the shaft 56 adjacent its upper end, and in parallel relation to the plate 52 is a bar 66. Extending between and secured to the plate 52 and the bar 66 is a pivot pin 62. Carried by the pin 62 is a link 64 having an aperture 56 adjacent one end in which is received the pin 62. The link 64 is secured at its other end to an arcuate member 68 by a pivot pin I0.

Referring now to Figure 7 in particular, it will be seen that the link 64 is maintained in a normal angular position with respect to the bar 60 by a spring ll having one arm engaging the bar 66 and the other arm engaging the link 64. As is better illustrated in Figure 6, it will be seen that the spring II is mounted on the pin 62 between the link 64 and the bar 60. The bar 60 is provided at its end with a transversely extending stop member 12 which limits the rotation of the link 64 with respect to the bar 68.

Referring now to Figures 1 through 3, it will be seen that the board 22 is provided adjacent the seat 24 with a vertical pipe member 14 having a flange on its lower end and secured to the upper surface of the board. Carried at the upper end of the pipe 14 and extending transversely of the board 22 is a handle 16. In alignment with the pipe 14 is a downwardly extending pipe 18 having secured to its lower end a transverse foot rest 88. The seat 24 is occupied by one of the riders of the roundabout and the handle I6 and the foot rest 80 are merely for convenience of the rider.

Carried by the underside of the board 22 adjacent the seat 26 are a pair of spaced mounting brackets 82 which are in alignment with an elongated slot 84 extending longitudinally of the board 22. Pivotally mounted within the slot 84 and secured to the brackets 82 by a pivot pin 86 is an operating arm 86. The operating arm 88 is provided at its upper end with a handle 90, and at its lower end with a foot engaging portion 92.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 4 in detail, it will be seen that the operating arm 88 is provided with an ear 94 to which is connected a rod 96. The other end of the rod 96 is pivotally attached to one end of the arcuate member 68. The length of the rod 96 is such that when the operating arm 88 is in a vertical position, that the arcuate member 68 is in a position concentric to the rim 58. Carried by the other end of the arcuate member 68 is a resilient friction block I60 formed of a material such as rubber. When the operating arm 88 is in a vertical position, the friction block I00 is closely adjacent to but in spaced relation to the rim 58.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 in detail, it will be seen that when the lower end of the operating arm 88 is moved toward the seat 26, that the arcuate member 68 will be moved to the left as viewed in Figure 4 with the resultant pivoting of the link 64 about the pin 62. At the same time the arcuate member 66 rotates with respect to the link 64 so that the friction block I becomes in engagement with the rim 58. Continued backward movement of the lower end of the operating arm 88 results in the continuation of pivoting of the link 64 with respect to the bar 66 and the rotation of the board 22 about the vertical standard ID as illustrated in Figure 5. When the operating arm 88 is returned to its vertical position, the link 64 is urged toward its normal position such as illustrated in Figure 4 by the spring II. Continued reciprocation of the rod 96 will result in continuous rotation of the board 22 with respect to the vertical standard I6.

The operation of this invention has been described during the above specification of the mechanical details thereof and further description would appear to be unnecessary. It will be clear that all the objects mentioned above are amply achieved by the structure described and that a complete practicable and highly enjoyable roundabout for children is herein disclosed.

Minor modification of the device, bearing in mind the details from the embodiment of the device as illustrated and described herein, may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention and as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A roundabout comprising a vertical stationary supporting standard, board means having seats thereon mounted on said standard for ro-- tation with respect thereto, drive means carried by said board means, a cylindrical surface carried by said standard for engagement by said drive means, whereby rotary motion may be imparted to said board means, said drive means including an arcuate member normally positioned concentrio with said cylindrical surface and having ends spaced equidistantly from said cylindrical surface, a friction block secured to one end of said member, said member being pivotally mounted with respect to said board means, and an operator extending from one of said seats to the other end of said arcuate member for pivoting said arcuate member out of concentric relation relative to said cylindrical surface and moving said friction block into engagement with said cylindrical surface.

2. A roundabout comprising a vertical stationary supporting standard, board means having seats thereon mounted on said standard for rotation with respect thereto, drive means carried by said board means, a cylindrical surface carried by said standard for engagement by said drive means, whereby rotary motion may be imparted to said board means, said standard having a socket at its upper end, a rotating shaft mounted in said socket, said board means being secured to a plate rigidly secured to the upper end of said shaft, said drive means including a bar carried by said shaft adjacent said plate and parallel thereto, a pin extending between and secured to said bar and said plate, a link having one end pivotally mounted on said pin, an arcuate member normally positioned concentric with said surface, a friction block secured to one end of said member for engagement with said surface, said member being pivotally connected to the other end of said link.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said member is maintained in its normal position by a spring mounted on said pin and urging said bar and link towards overlying relation, stop means carried by said bar for limiting rotation of said link.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said arcuate member and said link are pivoted by a rod secured to the other end of said member and to an operating arm carried by said board means adjacent one of said seats.

5. Drive means for a rotatable platform comprising a supporting standard having a circular rim secured thereto, a shaft rotatably carried by said standard, a supporting plate for said platform carried by said shaft, an arcuate member carried by said plate, said arcuate member having ends, a friction block secured to said arcuate member adjacent one end for selective driving engagement with said rim, actuating means secured to the other end of said arcuate member for moving the same from a normal position concentric to said rim to a rim engaging position, said arcuate member being pivotally secured intermediate its ends to one end of a link, said link being pivotally connected to a bar rigidly carried by said shaft for permitting movement of a central portion of said arcuate member away from said rim and pivoting of said friction block towards said rim.

6. Drive means for a rotatable platform comprising a, supporting standard having a circular rim secured thereto, a shaft rotatably carried by said standard, a supporting plate for said platform carried by said shaft, an arcuate member carried by said plate, said arcuate member having ends, a friction block secured to said arcuate member adjacent one end for selective driving engagement with said rim, actuating means secured to the other end of said arcuate member for moving the same from a normal position concentric to said rim to a rim engaging position, said arcuate member being pivotally secured intermediate its ends to one end of a link, said link being pivotally connected to a bar rigidly carried by said shaft for permitting movement of a central portion of said arcuate member away from said rim and pivoting of said friction block towards said rim, said arcuate member being urged towards a normal position by a spring urging said bar and link towards overlying relation, stop means limiting pivoting of said bar and link.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,308,568 Wreisner July 1, 1919 1,685,627 Bryngelson Sept. 25, 1928 2,395,398 Cruver Feb. 26, 1946 

